If you are an out-of-towner visiting Austin during SXSW, you might be thinking –DAMN the food here is good and I want to take some back home to my loved ones. I’ll be making a week-long trip in April to DC and NY and wanted to bring some Austin and Texas-based foods for my friends and family to enjoy.

While I have my own favorites, I’ve been living in Austin for a little over 5 years and am in no way an expert on everything that is available. So, I turned to my colleagues in the “Austin Food Bloggers” group on Facebook. They shared some tasty suggestions with me that I thought I would pass on to you.

I focused on items that would travel pretty well but don’t make the mistake I did and take any of the creamy or liquid-based treats in your carry-on. I was crushed when airport security confiscated by Trader Joe’s almond butter at LAX. Crushed!

Below are some of my favorite local grocery stores where you can find many of the products (yes Whole Foods is local — it was founded here!).

FARM TO MARKET - 1718 South Congress
Austin Slow Burn Green Chile Jam
Austinuts
Dr. Kracker
Good Flow
Innocent Chocolate
Jake’s Granola
Katz Coffee
Mary Louise Butters Brownies
Wateroak Farm goat milk ice cream - This is for a snack — it won’t last the trip back to NY/LA

CENTRAL MARKET and/or WHOLE FOODS
New Canaan Raspberry Chipotle Sauce
Lammes Texas Chewie Pecan Pralines; Lammes Peppermint Kisses (taffy); Lammes Longhorns (Secret recipe caramel and pecans in milk chocolate)
Texas Olive Ranch 100% Texan Olive Oil
Two Hot Mama’s Salsa
Central Market brand green salsa
Kerbey Lane Pancake Mix
Wasabi peanuts – bulk
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Miles of Chocolate
Paul Petersen salsa

NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORES (they’ll have some of these products also)
Sun Harvest – Stores both north and south of downtown
Wheatsville Coop – Guadalupe near UT
Fresh Plus – Clarksville and Hyde Park
Royal Blue – Two locations downtown
Cissi’s Market – Tiny market but a great place to pick up gifts while you drink yourself silly with wine and enjoy their A+ dessert selection

Were you too busy at panels, partying, picking up swag, networking, and rocking out to shop? If so, you can still pick up one of the best representations of Austin food at the airport — Salt Lick BBQ Sauce. Just avert your eyes to the calorie and fat content on the back of the bottle and enjoy, y’all!

AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Salt Lick BBQ Sauce

What have I missed that you love? Any other suggestions? Do you have an absolute favorite local food that you would push over the others? Looking forward to more input from all of you eat-sperts.